Christmas songs...

I am indifferent towards Christmas song. Maybe, I've turned into a semi-grinch. In my younger years, my family celebrated Christmas away from our relatives. Listening to Christmas songs makes my mother miss her relatives. So, she kinda 'dislike' listening to any Christmas song. Celebrating Christmas away from family. Well, we are just accustomed to it.

This Christmas I'm likely to be alone. No biggie. I could just have Home Alone movie marathon. Hey, it's fun to celebrate alone. Christmas is just another holiday to me. My first Christmas away was 9 years ago in a small island. Instead of celebrating with my family, I explored the whole island.

It's not a big deal really. Many from the Norther Hemisphere spend their holiday in the tropics, to escape the cold weather. Some with family, some travelled alone. So, I'm normal, not a grinch.

Today, I accompanied my brother shopping for rations. In the first supermarket, Christmas songs played through the speaker. Not in English but in Indonesian. Probably, recorded in the 80s or 70s. Back then, Indonesian Christmas songs were a hit. I heard them before, so it doesn't amuse as much as the song played in the next supermarket.

The supermarket is quite crowded so we moved on to another supermarket. This supermarket is smaller as it is located in our neighbourhood. But still busy as it is near the main road to the new township. As I entered to supermarket, there's Christmas song playing too, but it's different. After hearing some familiar Tagalog words like aming, araw, buhay, dahil and nang/ang/ng in the song lyrics, then it hit me. Tagalog Christmas Songs! This is my first time listening to Tagalog Christmas Song in my life, what more to say in a supermarket in this little city.

There must be many OFWs here. Not a big surprised though. My aunt is a Filipina, my neighbour living just across the street is also a Filipina. Even in our church, there's a Filipino family, very friendly people. I can say, there's quite a number of Filipina here. My aunt runs a catering business, specializing in Filipino foods. And there's always somebody needing her service. I can estimate at least 100 Filipinos live here. At least. I'm not sure of the exact number. Can be up to 500? Counting the OFWs in the neighbouring Sultanate, there could be more. There's even direct flights to Ninoy Aquino from our small domestic airport.

That, with the fact that a supermarket playing Tagalog Christmas songs. No, I'm not paranoid. Our OFWs are mostly legit, not illegal immigrants. With legit I mean, having legal document. But only God knows what they do here. Fortunately, most Filipinos I know here are good honest people.

Back to the Tagalog songs, it's way livelier than any other versions of Christmas songs. Maybe there are thousands Lea Salongas in the Philippines, I mean they are vocally talented (am I stereotyping?). My neighbour across the street use to sing. The Filipinos in our church sang very well. But not my aunt though her foods are divine. Kutsinta, Puto, Fried Bangus, Kare-kare... name it, she can cook almost everything Filipino.

Well, she taught us well. My sister and I learn a lot from her in the Kitchen. The funniest one is 'throwing' spaghetti on the wall. No, it's not food fight. That's how our aunt demonstrate how to see if a spaghetti is well done. We don't do that now though. We were young that time and it's the easiest way to check for 'doneness'. She even taught us how easy it is to cook Turon. Turon is fried fruits, usually bananas, wrapped in Popiah skins. Our popiahs are usually filled with vegetables. So, at first, I was skeptical. Turns out, we like Turon more than banana fritters.

Too bad, Aunty wouldn't be here during Christmas. She'll celebrate Christmas with uncle in our hometown, probably with my parents. But she'll be around for New Year.

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Some of the foods mentioned

Turon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tur%C3%B3n_(food)

Puto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puto

Kutsinta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutsinta

Bangus
http://www.pinaycookingcorner.com/2012/02/daing-na-bangus-milkfish-marinated-in.html

Kare-kare
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kare-kare
And kare-kare was mentioned in this funny advert featuring Obama and Macapagal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IqP8zk4hp0

Another easy to cook Filipino food is Tortang Talong (Tortang = tortilla? Spanish tortilla not Mexican)
http://panlasangpinoy.com/2009/08/09/filipino-vegetable-food-eggplant-omelet-tortang-talong-recipe/

PinayCookingCorner and PanlasangPinoy is my reference website when I miss Filipino foods. Or you just can watch Gerrard Panahon's channel for cooking and entertainment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/gerrardpanahon